One minute with Sean McGinness is the National Tax Partner and Head of VAT at Saffery.
What’s keeping you busy at work?
A mix of client work, leadership and growth initiatives. I advise a broad range of businesses on tax and VAT issues, particularly in the property and construction sector. As Saffery’s National Tax Partner, I have also been focusing on how technology can help us deliver better outcomes for clients and our people.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the start of your career?
That technical excellence alone is not enough. Clients also value clarity, judgement and commercial understanding. Successful client relationships are built on trust and having a good working relationship. My advice to anyone looking to progress their career is to be less transactional and understand what your client, line manager or peer is trying to do and how you can help achieve it.
Consistency and commitment matter too. Learning about the economy and client sectors gives you more credibility. Being able to say ‘I’ve seen this before’ is incredibly powerful, whether on a tax technical point or a commercial arrangement.
What’s topical in your world?
Three themes stand out. First, generative AI is beginning to change how advisers research, analyse information and deliver insights. The profession has spent years talking about digital transformation; firms are now moving from discussion to practical implementation.
Second, there is a growing focus on process optimisation and scalability. Clients increasingly expect advisers to combine technical expertise with efficient, technology-enabled delivery.
HMRC’s roadmap for the future use of data means we must be able to assist clients and support our teams with this transformation.
The third area is how we train people. At Saffery, we have a focus on continued training beyond training contracts. The aim of this is to retain good people and help them develop the different skills they’ll need as tax advisers in the years ahead.
If you could make one change to tax, what would it be?
Given our ongoing engagement with the policy, I would reform the VAT treatment of social and affordable housing. The UK faces a significant housing challenge, yet economically similar projects can produce very different VAT outcomes. A more coherent framework would improve certainty, reduce avoidable compliance costs and allow housing providers and developers to spend more time delivering homes. Following the consultation, let’s hope we hear more in the Budget!
Are there any rules that are causing a particular problem in practice?
The continuing disputes around VAT exemptions for financial services and payment-related activities remain fascinating. Many cases turn on principles developed decades ago that must now be applied to sophisticated digital business models. The legislation and case law do not always evolve at the same pace as commercial reality.
Businesses can therefore face genuine uncertainty when applying established VAT concepts to modern platforms, payment ecosystems and technology services. The dividing line between an exempt financial service and a taxable supply of technology or administration can be both technically difficult and commercially significant. I expect this area to continue generating litigation and policy debate.
You might not know this about me but...
One of my favourite things to do before I start a working day is swim. Being in the water with no distractions helps me plan my day or work through a thorny issue before I get to my desk or into a meeting.
One minute with Sean McGinness is the National Tax Partner and Head of VAT at Saffery.
What’s keeping you busy at work?
A mix of client work, leadership and growth initiatives. I advise a broad range of businesses on tax and VAT issues, particularly in the property and construction sector. As Saffery’s National Tax Partner, I have also been focusing on how technology can help us deliver better outcomes for clients and our people.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the start of your career?
That technical excellence alone is not enough. Clients also value clarity, judgement and commercial understanding. Successful client relationships are built on trust and having a good working relationship. My advice to anyone looking to progress their career is to be less transactional and understand what your client, line manager or peer is trying to do and how you can help achieve it.
Consistency and commitment matter too. Learning about the economy and client sectors gives you more credibility. Being able to say ‘I’ve seen this before’ is incredibly powerful, whether on a tax technical point or a commercial arrangement.
What’s topical in your world?
Three themes stand out. First, generative AI is beginning to change how advisers research, analyse information and deliver insights. The profession has spent years talking about digital transformation; firms are now moving from discussion to practical implementation.
Second, there is a growing focus on process optimisation and scalability. Clients increasingly expect advisers to combine technical expertise with efficient, technology-enabled delivery.
HMRC’s roadmap for the future use of data means we must be able to assist clients and support our teams with this transformation.
The third area is how we train people. At Saffery, we have a focus on continued training beyond training contracts. The aim of this is to retain good people and help them develop the different skills they’ll need as tax advisers in the years ahead.
If you could make one change to tax, what would it be?
Given our ongoing engagement with the policy, I would reform the VAT treatment of social and affordable housing. The UK faces a significant housing challenge, yet economically similar projects can produce very different VAT outcomes. A more coherent framework would improve certainty, reduce avoidable compliance costs and allow housing providers and developers to spend more time delivering homes. Following the consultation, let’s hope we hear more in the Budget!
Are there any rules that are causing a particular problem in practice?
The continuing disputes around VAT exemptions for financial services and payment-related activities remain fascinating. Many cases turn on principles developed decades ago that must now be applied to sophisticated digital business models. The legislation and case law do not always evolve at the same pace as commercial reality.
Businesses can therefore face genuine uncertainty when applying established VAT concepts to modern platforms, payment ecosystems and technology services. The dividing line between an exempt financial service and a taxable supply of technology or administration can be both technically difficult and commercially significant. I expect this area to continue generating litigation and policy debate.
You might not know this about me but...
One of my favourite things to do before I start a working day is swim. Being in the water with no distractions helps me plan my day or work through a thorny issue before I get to my desk or into a meeting.
